Mobile Science Activities

Forget the bus, we bring the fun to you! We have a variety of activities and demos that we can bring to your school or event. Most activities are hands-on, and are designed for a class of 25 students or less, and for grades K-9. Below is a sample of the activities we can bring to you. If you are interested in a science topic that you do not see, let us know. We may be able to help you out.

All of our activities are inquiry based and built around relevant TEKS. Each activity, unless noted otherwise, are planned to run about 30-40 minutes for each class group (Pre-K activities are 20-30 minutes). Our themes are:

Paleontology & Earth Sciences

Astronomy & Physics

Engineering

To schedule a mobile science activity to come to your school, please print out and complete a Mobile Science Reservation Form and return it to us via email. Download form HERE.

If you have any questions, email us at mobile@txmost.org, or give us a call at 512-333-4SCI and ask for Lucia or Bobby.

ASTRONOMY & PALEONTOLOGY (PRE-K)

Sun’s Energy: Students will explore the Sun’s energy. They will learn the color spectrum and learn about ultraviolet (UV) and infrared (IR) light as they construct a bracelet. As they do their project they will learn about what the sun is, what it does for us, and being safe in the sunlight. Includes a chance to see the Sun safely through eclipse glasses, weather permitting.

Bear’s Shadow: How does Bear’s shadow move as the Sun moves across the sky? Young students will explore this concept through the book, Moonbear’s Shadow and through using models of a bear and a flashlight sun to change the direction and length of Bear’s shadow.

Trip to the Moon: We will talk about what the Moon is like, then children will don “helmets”, gloves, and space boots for a trip to the moon! A large “moonscape” blanket spread on the floor will help the students envision the moon as we walk around and explore the moon’s surface. Depending on number of children and time allowed, they can make their own paper bag helmets, or match picture cards of the moon to the different phases.

Day and Night: Using photos, a model Earth ball, a model Sun ball, plus flashlights and songs, young children will learn the difference between night and day, and that this is caused by the spinning of the Earth.

Triceratops Footprints: Students guess how many of their feet will it take to fill up a Triceratops track. Then, they trace and cut out their footprints to test their guesses. Classrooms can keep the Triceratops print covered in the students’ footprints.

ASTRONOMY (K-9)

Stargazing (all ages): We will bring a telescope and a resident stargazer to your evening event, weather permitting. Children and adults of all ages will be encouraged to peer through the telescope’s eyepiece to see planets, the moon, nebulae, star clusters, and other exciting astronomical sights. No one ever forgets their first sight of the planet Saturn or of the Moon through a telescope! The astronomer will also have a green laser pointer to point out constellations and help students find their way around the night sky. Please note that this event is weather-dependent, and night-time objects are only visible at certain times of the year. Locations far from city lights will be able to see many more stars and faint objects, but planets and major constellations are visible even from city schools. Great activity for science nights and scouting events.

Sun’s Energy (K-9th): Students will master the color spectrum and learn about ultraviolet (UV) and infrared (IR) light as they construct a bracelet or bookmark (determined by age). As they do their project they will learn about what the sun is, what it does for us, and different properties of light. Includes a chance to see the Sun safely through eclipse glasses and through a solar-filtered telescope, weather permitting.

Solar System Bracelets (K-3rd): Students will discuss the order of the planets in our Solar System and some features of each. Then they will make a bracelet using beads to represent the planets of the Solar System including the Sun, asteroids, and dwarf planets, to help them remember the order. They learn fun facts about the celestial bodies as they build their take-home bracelets.

Solar System Models (3rd-6th): If the distance from the sun to the edge of our solar system were 100 feet, where do you think each planet would be on that scale? Find out by guessing and then walking our solar system. The answers might surprise you! Can be done in a hallway or outside on the grass or basketball court. We will also look at relative sizes of the planets.

Star Wheels (2nd-8th): Students will build a Star Wheel, or Planisphere, to explore the concept that different constellations are visible at different times of year and at different times during each night. This concept will be connected to the rotation and revolution of the Earth. Students will learn how to set and read their Star Wheel charts to help them find out what constellations they are looking at when they go outside at night.

Stellar Evolution Bracelets (4th-8th): Students will explore the concept of stellar evolution through making a bead bracelet, where each bead represents a different phase of a star’s life. They will be able to explore the life cycles of both small stars like our Sun and large stars that will explode in a Supernova. Will their star become a black hole?

Make a Comet! (3rd-6th): We will make a model comet, using dirt, Karo syrup, water, and dry ice. Each substance represents a component of an actual comet. Students will take turns helping to make the comet. This activity also works well at a table at a science fair.

EARTH SCIENCE & PALEONTOLOGY (K-9)

Triceratops Footprints (K-2nd): Students guess how many of their feet will it take to fill up a Triceratops track. Then, they trace and cut out their footprints to test their guesses. Classrooms can keep the Triceratops print covered in the students’ footprints.

Water Cycle Bracelet (2nd-5th): Students learn about the Water Cycle through making a water cycle bead bracelet and through the story A Wild Ride on the Water Cycle. Concepts such as evaporation, condensation, transpiration, precipitation and run-off will be included.

Ecosystem Jenga (4th-8th): What happens when changes in ecosystems occur? Find out in this team exercise. Students, working in teams, will construct ecosystems of water, plants, herbivores, and carnivores using Jenga blocks, then predict what will happen as those ecosystems change.

ENGINEERING (3-9)

Helicopter Challenge (3rd-8th): Students, working in teams, build a paper helicopter using only materials provided. They can experiment to see what designs work best. They learn that engineers can solve problems in a variety of ways, and that failing the first time just means they need to try something different.